Parents seek new cheaper schools

Dubai: Parents of Dubai Modern High School could have a cheaper alternative to Dubai Modern High School if the education authorities give green light to two education providers who want to open Council for Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) curriculum schools in Dubai.

Currently, Dubai Modern High School is the only school that offers CISCE curriculum. After the school moved to its new campus in Nad Al Sheba, the fee has been hiked by 45 per cent. Parents are bracing up for another 40 per cent increase in tuition fee in the next academic year.

Gulf News has learnt that two parties are awaiting the final approval from the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) to start admissions for the 2009-2010 academic year that starts in April.

JSS International, a leading education provider from India is waiting for approval to start the curriculum in its school that opened last year in Al Barsha. The school currently offers CBSE curriculum.

"We have completed all formalities and infrastructural requirements to start CISCE curriculum. If we get the KHDA approval by the end of this month, we can start the admission process," said a representative for the group.

The second provider refused to give a comment when Gulf News contacted its officials.

The Dubai Modern High School Parents Committee, an organisation formed to fight the fee hike implemented by the GEMS group, is lobbying to break the monopoly of GEMS on CISCE curriculum so that they have cheaper alternatives. Parents pay Dh2,000 to Dh3,000, excluding transportation charges at Modern High.

Responding to the parents' concerns, Mohammad Darwish, Chief of Licensing at the KHDA said, "As the regulatory authority for schools in Dubai, KHDA continuously receives applications from investors wanting to open new schools or get approval for teaching a variety of curriculums. Every application goes through the same rigorous process."